7 Conversations to Have with Your College Freshmen
My youth pastor had a lasting impact on my life. I can still remember many conversations we had that prepared me for life during and after high school.
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Fill it up and give it away.”
“Don’t ever sacrifice your family to save someone else’s. Your home is your primary ministry.”
“You’ll never regret spending time and energy pursuing Christ.”
It’s officially been ten years since I graduated, and many of these conversations have carried me to where I am today, through seasons of joy and seasons of sadness.
In the five years that we have served in student ministry, there are many conversations that we have intentionally had with our students that are heading to college. We have had these conversations in many different forms – group lessons, individual conversation, and even graduate-focused events.
Be intentional in the lives of your graduates this summer. Here are seven great conversations to have with them before they begin their college career.
Download a free conversation guide by clicking here
Keep Your Eyes on Christ.
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2-4
This is the core of why we do student ministry…. And it is the most important conversation to have with your students. A close relationship with Christ will impact every other area of their life. Encourage them to stay rooted in the Word and to spend time listening to the Lord’s voice through prayer. This also means confessing sin and resting in the forgiveness of Christ. College opens students up to a world of new ideas, beliefs, and actions, staying true to Christ will make all the difference.
Choose your friends wisely.
“…Bad company ruins good morals.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33
From day one, students will have the chance to decide who they will link arms with for the next four years. Linking arms with other believers will help them band together in their pursuit of Christ. Accountability matters. We are stronger together.
Don’t waste this gift.
“…making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” – Ephesians 5:16
College is a gift. That being said, when I transferred schools my sophomore year, I saw it as a punishment. I still remember spending almost an entire semester complaining to the Lord about having to move from Dallas to the middle of nowhere. I missed out on many friendships and opportunities, because I did not see the gift in front of me.
Have a conversation with your college freshmen about the gift they have been given. They have four years to learn, develop lasting friendships, grow closer to Christ, and make a difference for the Kingdom on campus. This time flies by quickly and they will never get it back. Encourage them to redeem the time and use it wisely.
Do all things for His glory.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31
When I took Math for Liberal Arts my freshman year, I didn’t complete that class for the glory of God. Did a get an A? Yes. However, I had a check-list on my dorm wall of all the classes that I could skip without it affecting my grade. That class was not done with excellence. I regret how I handled most of my freshman year.
Encourage students to live a life that brings God glory. Encourage them to live a life pursuing excellence, yet living in grace. What does it look to do all things to the glory of God? Take care of the body you’ve been given. Live in deep, Biblical community with other believers. Do your best in your classes, so you can be equipped to serve Him well. Don’t let your dorm room become a trash dump, take care of what has been entrusted to you.
We are still here for you.
“A friend loves at all times…” – Proverbs 17:17
Many youth leaders lose contact with their students when they graduate. Don’t be that youth leader. I will never forget my youth pastor reassuring me that he was still my pastor, even when I went to college. Since that conversation, he has been my boss, introduced me to my husband, officiated my wedding, and walked with my family through the loss of a child. He was true to his word.
Make sure your students know that college graduation does not mean graduation from your ministry. Reassure them that you are there to shepherd them and walk with them through life.
Be smart with your money.
“…it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” – 1 Corinthians 4:2
Confession time. I was not financially wise with my money in college. Against much wise council, I chose my first college based on the persuasion of friends. Within a year, I took on more college debt then I should’ve in four years. In fact, I passed up a full-ride, just to be with my peers.
In our ministry, we have made it a point to encourage high school graduates to be financially wise. We have spent hours helping students apply for scholarships, find jobs, and prevent student debt. Many students have no idea about the lasting impact the poor financial decisions will make later on in their lives. Help equip them to be good stewards of their money, to make wise college decisions, and to plan for the future.
Your decisions matter.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10
College should be fun, but it should also be taken seriously. Every class taken, every decision, every friend made, will have a lasting impact on the lives of our students. I think back over my college career and see the impact that my choices have made. Encourage your students to live for Christ in the moment, but to also consider how their decisions will impact their service of Christ in years to come.
What are some other conversations that you plan to have before sending your graduates off to college?
How do you plan on shepherding their hearts from a distance as they graduate from your student ministry?
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